Monday, 13 July 2015

Thai Chicken Rice in Bangkok Raan Kaithong Pratunam JK1184

I am a chicken rice fanatic and so wherever I go, I like to check out the local version of this dish to get my fix. Somehow, I got this feeling that I am not alone in this obsession among Singaporeans.In Thailand, Hainanese style chicken rice is known as Khao Mun Gai. Khao Mun Gai stalls are actually rather common and are found in most of the main food streets in Bangkok.

Kaiton Pratunam is probably the best known chicken rice shop in the Pratunam tourist trap belt in Bangkok. Most tourists don't know the name of the shop but simply refer to it as the "pink shirts" because of the staff's distinctive pink uniform.

Kaiton Pratunam is actually a local favourite, an institution. You can see many Thais eat here and my Thai friends mentioned only Kaiton Pratunam when I asked for chicken rice recommendations. So Kaiton Pratunam is actually a standard bearer of Thai style chicken rice.

I have been here several times though I am not particularly fond of the taste or lack of it ;-p But somehow, I always found large and busy chicken rice shops hard to resist.

The shop is usually busy and customers often have to stand and wait in line for an available table.

The chicken are served deboned.

If you miss chicken blood curd, you can get it here at Raan Kaithong Pratunam.

The chicken is tender but doesn't have the moistness or juice, soft smooth skin or jiggly fat that I like. There is little, if any, chicken flavour in the meat.

The rice boiled with chicken broth and fat is good - aromatic, flavoursome, not overly greasy and has a nice tender yet nutty bite. The good quality long grains were not starchy and separate easily.

Innards are comfort food for me. The boiled mixed innards have a good jumble of textures but most of it's delicate natural flavours have been leeched out by boiling.

As the chicken meat and innards lack flavour, it has to be eaten with this sauce.I enjoyed dunking the chicken or the mix of pasty and crunchy innards into the tasty Thai style chopped chili padi, garlic and soy sauce blend.Thai style chicken rice is meant to be eaten with this dipping sauce which is key, and which differentiates it from say the Singapore version.

Thai style chicken soup is also good. Packed with chickeny gently savoury sweet flavours, it is comforting for the soul. Maybe, here's where all the flavours from the chicken ended up ;-p (This chicken soup is sold separately at a reasonable price.)

There is a good chance that my resistance will crumble again at the sight of this, at my next Bangkok trip.

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